Hermetic closure for tumblers.



No. 829,979. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

W. A. LORENZ. HERMETIO CLOSURE FOR TUMBLERS.

APPLICATION ITILED DEO.13. 1905.

W/ZM

Will/mm afiLaren/z U'NITED STATES PATENT oninon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed December 18,1905. Serial No. 292,219.

To alL whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. LORENZ, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hermetic Closures for Tumblers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improved means for hermetically closing the tops oftumblers, mugs, and similar plain-rimmed receptacles, and is especially adapted for sealing by wellknown vacuum processes.

Fi ure 1 of the drawin sis a sectional view, in en arged scale, of the eft-hand u per side of a tumbler, showing my improve closure resting thereon in uncompressed or unsealed condition. Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing the closure in its compressed or sealed condition. Fig. 3 is a side view,in smaller scale, showing a sealed tumbler, the left-hand upper portion being broken away to show the closure-joint -in section. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are fragmentary views, in enlarged scale, illustrating the adaptability of this improved closure to the sealing of tumblers which are more or less irregularinthe contour of their rims, this being a fault to which tumblers are liable in commercial manufacture. Fig. 4 represents a tumbler having a depression in its rim. 5 is a view in section, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing how my improved closure conforms to the depression. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a tumbler-rim which is unsymmetrical or irregular in cross-section, {the contour of the outer side being fuller than the contour of the inner side.

Inthe hermetic sealing of tumblers and similar round-rimmed receptacles considerable difficulty has been experienced in providing a closure which will seat and centralize itself correctly upon the tumbler-rim and at the same time produce an efiective and peresses.

manent closure when sealed by vacuum proc- This difficulty is due to several causes. Even when the rim is circular and level and uniform in cross-section at all portions of the rim the closure when pressed down is liable to slide down on one side or the other of the ro'mded rim, and the difficulty liable in the commercial manufacture. The melting heat to which the tumbler-rims are subjected in the fire-finishing operation is liable to be applied more or longer at one place than at another, resulting in a lack of symmetry in the round of the rim and sometimes results in melting down'one portion of the rim considerably lower than other portions, as illustrated in Figs; 4 and 5. Even when the rimsare uniformly fire-finished the circle of the tumbler-rim is liable to be flattened or otherwise distorted, makin the mouth-opening more or less oval or el 'ptical instead of circular. To overcome these difficulties is the object of the present invention. This is accomplished by employing a closure which comprises a ca bler below the rim to centralize the'closure with the rim, while the upper portion of the flange is considerablylarger than the tumblerrim, thus providing an annular pocket around the outer side of the tumbler-rim, which as the gasket is pressed down in the sealin operation opens an annular space aroun the rim wide enou h to receive a substantial thickness of the ower edgeof the gasket. This enlarged annular pocket extends a substantial distance above thelevel of the tumbler-rim far enough so that when the closure is in its compressed or sealed condition there is still considerable space above and on the outer side of the tumbler-rim. The downward movement of the cap during the sealing operation reduces the cross-sectional area of the gasket-space much more rapidly than that space is increased by the continued opening annular space around the lateral side of the rim. Hence the gasket is compressed by a sort of difierential action which exerts a powerful degree of pressure upon the asket, while at the same time the downwardEy-extendin space at the lateral side of the rim allows 51c lower portion of the gasket to be forced with safety and certainty down on the outer side of the rim. Thus one portion of the gasket is compressed a ainst an outer zone of the tumbler-rim whi e another portion of the gasket is compressed upon the top of the tumbler-rim or slightly upon the inner side thereof by the top wall of the .cap. Thus in addition to providin a substantial thickness or cushion of gas et disposed and distributed so as to fill up the .70 having -a flexible rim, the lower portion 0 which engages with the tum inequalities of the r m this closure has the further advantage of providing a secondary circle of seal which is formed inside of and subsequent to the first seal.

The tumbler is of the ordinary wellknownform, having a rounded rim 11, the rims of such receptacles being generally rounded for appearance, and to avoid corners and burs which may cut the hands or lips of the users.

The cap is made of sheet'metal or other flexible material and is provided with a gasket-receiving portion 16, which is of a diameter substantially larger than the outside of the tumbler-rim 11, thus providing a space which, as the gasket is pushed down in the sealing operation, provides an annular pocket on the outside of the rim, as shown in Fig. 2. The enlar ed portion of the cap extends a substantia distance above the level of the rim far enough to leave a substantial space above and outside of the rim when the closure is in its sealed condition, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The lower portion 18 of the flange is turned inwardly beneath the gasket to engage with the receptacle and center the closure therewith, the flexibility of thei'inetal enabling the flange to adapt itself approximately to the oval or other distortions from the circular form to which tumblers are liable in commercial manufacture.

The gasket 20, which may be of round or square or any other compact form of cross-' section, is preferably made cylindrical, as herein shown, fitting the enlarged gasketspace 16 closely enough' to 'retain'its place therein by friction while it is being handled and stored before use. The greaterportion of the bulk of the gasket lies outside of the circle of the crown of the rim, so that from the beginning of the downward movement of the cap the lower edge of the gasket will project outwardly over the outer side of the rim but the thickness and other proportions of the gasket may be varied as may be found desirable for different conditions of service.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 is illustrated some of the distortions to which these tumbler-rims are liable in commercial manufacture. The depression 12 (shown in Figs. 4 and 5) may result from the application of too much heat at this point during the fire-finishing operation, while the corner 13 of Fig. 6 is raised somewhat above its proper contour, which may happen through being subjected to insufficient heat in the fire-finishing o eration. As shown in Fig. 5, the cushion o gasket material is sufficlent to cover or compensate for considerable variation and inequality in the rim.

These improved closures are self-contained and maybe manufactured and sold independently of the tumblers themselves, in which case the gaskets 20 should be made large enough, so that they remain in place .in the caps through the entire handling to which they might be subjected in commercial use, or they should be fastened in place by cement.

These closures may be sealed upon the tumblers in various well-known ways employed for vacuum-sealing. I prefer, however, to seal these closures in accordance with the process described and claimed in United States Patent No. 711,431, of October 14,

1902. It is obvious, however, that these closures may be sealed in many other wellknown ways, either by hot or cold processing;

During the sealing operation as the closure is moved downwardly from its initial position (shown in Fig. 1) toward its sealed position (shown in Fig. 2) the annular space 22 beneath the gasket and on the outer side of the rim is extended downwardly, the pressure of the topof the cap upon the top of the gasket forcing the latter downwardly. The outer side of the lower edge of the gasket being left without support over the annular space 22 finds its easiest escape from the pressure by protruding downwardly into that annular space, the downward inclination of the outer rounded side of the rim also favoring this direction of flow of the gasket. Inasmuch as the increase in the area of the space 22 during the .downward movement of the closure is much -less than the contraction of the gasket area -at the top of the gasket, the result is a sort of differential action, by which the lower edge of the gasket is compressed into the mouth of the annular space 22. Thus the tendency is to give precedence to the making of the seal at the upper portion of the annular space 22 approximately around the zone represented by the line 24. 'As the compression at this zone increases the inner side of the top portion of the gasket is projected inwardly over the rim of the tumbler, and as the top wall of the cap is carried downwardly by the continued downward movement of the closure thisinwardly-protruding portion of the gasket is caught between the rim of the tumbler and the upper wall of the cap, thus during the final sealing movement establishing a second line of seal approximately at the zone indicated by the line 25.

The increased cushioning effect obtained by this closure does not necessarily involve the use of an increased amount of gasket material, but is mainly effected by the proper initial disposition and distribution of the gasket material in connection with the use of a flexible ca having a suitable contour for confining and directing the flow of the gasket material during compression; all of which results in distributing the gasket material between two narrow sealing zones, utilizing the space between those zones as a reservoirspace, from which the gasket material flows to the respective sealing zones as the need a Nam-thus.

therefor is developed during the sealing operation and in accordance with the requirements of each individual tumbler instead of allowing a considerable volume of the material to protrude uselessly at one or both sides of the sealing-joint.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a rece tacle having a rounded rim, of a hermetic c osure comprising a cap having a flexible flange which engages with the receptacle below the rounded rim to center it, and having a circumferentially-enlarged portion above the said engaging portion extending a substantial distance a ove the level of the receptacle-rim when the closure is in sealed position, and an annular gasket seated in said enlarged portion with its lower surface'resting on the receptacle.

2. The combination with a tumbler, of a hermetic closure comprising a cap, provided with a flexible flange havin an annular portion substantially larger in iameter than the tumbler-rim, and extendin a substantial distance above the level of t at rim, when the closure is in sealed condition, and an annular gasket seated in said enlarged portion of the cap, with its lower surface resting on the said rim, portions of the cap-flange being turned inwardly beneath the gasket to engage the receptacle, and center the closure therewith.

3; The combinationwith a tumbler or similar receptacle having a rounded rim, of a herm'etic closure therefor, comprising 3. ca provided with a flexible flange which su stantially fits the receptacle below the rounded rim, and having a circumferentially-enlarged cylindrical ortion above the said fitting portion exten ing a substantial distance above the level of the receptacle-rim when the closure is in its sealed condition, and an annular gasket seated in said enlarged portion, with its lower surface resting on the receptaclerim.

.4. The combination with a tumbler or similar rece tacle having a rounded rim, of a hermetic c osure therefor, comprising a cap provided with a flexible flange approximately fitting the receptacle, and having an annular portion substantially larger in diameter than the receptacle-rim, and extending a substantial distance above the level of the rim, when the closure is in its sealed condition, and an annular gasket seated in said larger portion with the greater portion of its bulk disposed outside of the circle of the crown of the said run. r

5. The combinationwitha tumbler or similar receptacle having a rounded rim, of a hermetic closure therefor comprising a cap provided with a flexible flange engaging the tumbler below the rim to center it, and having a circumferentially-enlarged portion extending above the level of said rim, and a asket seated in said enlarged ortion an having a thickness substantia ly greater than the width of the enlargement, whereby an annular s ace outside of the tumbler-rim is opened by the said enlargement as the cap is ressed downin the sealin operation, and w ereby the lower portion 0 the gasket is compressed into said opening.

6. The combination with a tumbler or similar rece tacle, havinga rounded rim, of a hermetic c osure therefor, consisting of a cap provided with a flexible flange fitting the out side of the receptacle-rim, and having a circumferentially-enlarged portion above the fitting portion to form an annular space between the receptacle and the flange as the cap is pushed down in the sealing o eration, and an annular gasket seated in sai enlargement and having a cross-sectional area eater than that of the said enlargement, w ereby the gasket is compressed into said annular space as the cap is pushed down in the sealing operation.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. LORENZ. Witnesses H. MALLNER, JANETTE S. ELLswon'rH. 

